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Cheryl Boglioli Designs

Living the Art Life™

Surprisingly Strange Inspirations: The Serendipitous Slipper Challenge

by Cheryl 5 Comments

Finding Creative Inspiration in Unexpected Places

The Challenge – Unexpected Item

My friend and fellow artist, Tina Walker, challenged a few friends to create a work of art using an inexpensive pair of spa slippers. Other than using these slippers, we had no restrictions. I don’t know about you, but I have not created art with slippers before, so the thinking cap came out for this challenge.

Finding creative inspiration in unlikely places with the serendipitous slipper challenge.

#livingtheartlife #cherylboglioli

The Deconstruction

Deconstructed slippers
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I found a whole package of spa slippers on Amazon cheaper than I could buy one good pair. I decided to deconstruct a few pairs so I armed my niece with a seam ripper and put her to work! (She’s my summer studio assistant) Her bonus reward was her own pair of slippers to tie-dye! How stinkin’ cute are these?

Creative Inspiration tie-dyed slippers

After the deconstruction, I had many pieces of fabric, some foam liners, and great texture plates from the slipper soles!

The Gathering

I decided to rummage through my stash for further supplies to work with and found a paper mache dress form as my main inspiration. Here is a link for one similar.

Other supplies used:

  • some paper flowers
  • Studio 490 Art Parts
  • scraps of fabric selvage
  • The Crafter’s Workshop Platinum Silver Modeling Paste
  • Powertex Universal Medium in Blue and Lead

The Reconstruction

The circular base pieces were Art Parts covered with TCW platinum modeling paste (which also acted as adhesive). I used the bottom of the slipper to stamp a little pattern into the modeling paste. I’ll keep a few of these slipper bottoms for texture stamps for future projects! (these would be great on the Gel Press plate too)

I mixed Blue and Lead Powertex Universal medium to get the blue-grey color I used throughout the project. After that first layer dried, I used transparent Powertex to adhere the tissue paper to the top of the dress form and fabric selvage ribbon around the neckline.

Creative Inspiration Manequin #livingtheartlife

I then dipped the fabric from the deconstructed slippers into the Powertex mixture and draped on as a skirt on the dress form along with a few flowers. Note: Powertex is a perfect adhesive also so no extra glue needed.

After the entire piece was dried, I highlighted the folds in the fabric and petals of the flowers with silver pigment.

I love how this combined to achieve a denim and pewter look overall. This has definitely inspired me to work with these colors again with my Powertex art!

detail of base texture from sole of slipper
love the texture I got from stamping the sole of my slipper

You too can find Creative Inspiration in Unexpected Places

finding creative inspiration dress form highlighted

It was a great challenge to create a piece of art from something unexpected and I found it inspirational on many levels. It definitely sparked my creative muse.

If you want more inspiration, don’t miss these great Serendipitous Slipper Challenge projects as well.

  • https://adogslife-thirteen.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-serendipitious-slipper-challenge.html
  • https://tracykrueger-nine.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-serendipitous-slipper-challenge.html
  • https://myscrapbookevolution.com/serendipitous-slipper…/
  • https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx-Jrgggaa3/

Let’s talk about it more

Leave me a comment below with something unexpected you have used in your art or something you’d like to see used. I’d also love it if you’d share this project – I’ve made it easy with little share buttons just below. 🙂

And don’t forget to SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER below for even more ideas on finding creativity in unexpected places.

Related

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For the First Time, I’m teaching Woodland Dreams at Art Walk Alchemy 2020

Comments

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  1. Lynn Milewski says

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    Oh My Word!! I would never of thought this was from a simple pair of slippers!! This is awesome!!

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  2. Carol Baxter says

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    Simply lovely!

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    • Cheryl says

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      Thank you Carol. Your project is also adorable and I love how you mixed it with poetry.

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  3. Tina Walker says

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    Whoa! This was from a pair of slippers? Very creative and super duper fantastic! Love it all!

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    • Cheryl says

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      Awww, girl…Thank you! And thank you for creating and hosting such a fun challenge. It was good to stretch that brain a little. <3

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Hey There!

I am so glad you're here. I am Living The Art Life™ and loving it. You can usually find me creating art in my studio, exhibiting it in various galleries, or traveling the country teaching ART! When traveling, you can find me touring the United States and Canada in my 1970 Fleetwood Terry vintage travel trailer. I call her Glinda the Glamper. Read More…

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